Taps to remain dry in Nairobi for two weeks

May 12, 2012 11:23 am

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By SIMON NDONGA, NAIROBI, Kenya, May 12 – Nairobi is to continue suffering a major water supply interruption for the next two weeks after raging floods in Gatundu constituency washed away the main pipeline from Sasumua dam cutting off supply to the western and southern parts of the city on Tuesday.

The Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC) Managing Director Philip Gichuki told a media conference on Saturday that they would ensure affected areas which are; Karen, Westlands, Gigiri, University of Nairobi, Lavington, Kawangware, Upperhill, Kenyatta National Hospital, Dagoretti Corner, Ngong Road and the Department of Defence, receive water supply for 36 hours every week.

“There are some parts of the city which we will not be able to give them piped water because they are solely supplied from the Sasumua line and they include Kitisuru, Loresho, Spring Valley, lower Kabete, Gigiri, New Muthaiga, Roselyne, Nyali, Kenya Institute of Administration, University of Nairobi Lower and Upper Kabete campus, the International School and surrounding areas,” he said.

Gichuki said they have activated their boreholes in the affected areas and mobilised water tankers to service places which would not be receiving piped water.

For this reason, the company has advised city residents not to waste water and use what they have sparingly.

He said that water tanks will be distributed in strategic areas within informal settlements and a Crisis Management Centre set up to receive complaints.

“In the informal settlements; some parts of Kawangware, Kibera and so on, we are going to station some collapsible tanks where we will be delivering water to them and the affected customers will be able to get water from those tanks,” he said.

Gichuki assured that their prices will not be affected by the shortage.

“We will not increase the price of water of this misfortune that has befallen us. This is an emergency and we will take care of the expenses that are going to be incurred though we cannot say how much this is going to be,” he said.

Raging floods in Gakoe forest washed away the main pipeline from Sasumua dam early this week cutting off water supply to the western and southern parts of Nairobi.

The affected line is 24 inches in diameter and supplies about 48,000 cubic metres per day, approximately 10 per cent of the total production capacity for the city.

Sasumua Dam, the second largest in the country, was built 50 years ago and supplies two-thirds of the water to the Kabete reservoir on Nairobi’s western suburbs, from where it is distributed to the city.

The dam pumps 60 million litres of water every day and is normally capable of sustaining sections of the city for at least three months.

In 2003, raging floods in the Aberdare region brought down part of the Sasumua dam wall, forcing it to be closed for more than 4 years as renovations costing in excess of Sh2 billion.

After it was opened last year, it now holds an extra 12 million cubic meters bringing the total dam capacity to 17 million cubic meters.